How Should Nursing Homes Care For A Person With Alzheimer's?

October 22, 2018
By
Wilson & Parlett

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If you have a loved one with Alzheimer’s, you may be thinking about
securing quality nursing home care in Maryland. To ensure the resident’s
needs are sufficiently met, it’s important for a facility to follow
certain guidelines when it comes to Alzheimer’s or dementia care,
which entails quite a few challenges. The
Alzheimer’s Association makes the following recommendation in this case, which explains the fundamentals
of providing quality care.

An assessment must be performed

Before your loved one begins living in a facility a comprehensive assessment
should take place. There is no one-size-fits-all approach with Alzheimer’s,
as each patient will respond differently to the illness. When performing
this assessment, staff should consider a person’s current abilities,
physical and mental health, background, family, behavior, cognitive capacity,
and communication skills. These factors can be used to devise the best
possible treatment plan.

Nutritious foods and beverages should be available

People with Alzheimer’s may forget to feed themselves. They may also
be unable to perform meal preparation tasks, which would make them the
responsibility of the staff. It’s up to a facility to determine
a patient’s nutritional needs, while also ensuring these needs are
met on a regular basis. For instance, in later stages of the disease dysphagia
or problems swallowing may occur. In this case, having a person on staff
with knowledge of how to address these issues is a must for families.

Social engagement should be encouraged

Socialization is important for all people, but it can be especially beneficial
to Alzheimer’s patients. Consider that for many residents of nursing
homes staff contact is the only socialization that’s available.
As a result, staff must take the time to connect with residents on a personal
level, whether providing other services or by participating in an activity.
It’s also important that any activities offered meets the definition
of meaningful. This includes things like listening to music, crafting,
watching a movie, or having a staff member read to residents.

The information on this website is for general information purposes only.
Nothing on this site should be taken as legal advice for any individual
case or situation. This information is not intended to create, and receipt
or viewing does not constitute, an attorney-client relationship.